UK imposes new tough sanctions package against Russia

London imposes ‘some of the toughest’ sanctions against Russia

The UK has announced the introduction of a new package of sanctions against Russia, calling it "one of the toughest" in the entire period of London's sanctions policy. Eighty-five individuals and legal entities that the British authorities link to information campaigns and support for Russian actions abroad have fallen under the restrictions.

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According to the press service of the British government, the sanctions are directed against structures and individuals who participated in “malicious campaigns of information warfare”. In particular, restrictions are imposed against 49 people associated with the Social Design Agency (SDA). Among them are authors, translators and videographers.

British authorities allege that the ASP was funded by the Russian state and engaged in the dissemination of “misleading propaganda.” The statement adds that some of the organization’s campaigns “were almost certainly commissioned by the Russian presidential administration.”

London separately mentioned activities in Armenia. According to the British side’s version, structures associated with the ASP and ANO Dialogue tried to influence domestic political processes in the country, including the creation of pro-Russian organizations and campaigns related to the change of power.

The new British sanctions also targeted the Center for Military Sports Training and Patriotic Education of Youth “Center of Warrior”, LNR Minister of Youth Affairs Yulia Velichko, head of Rosmolodezh Grigory Gurov, children’s ombudsman Nadezhda Boltenko, and a number of educational and youth organizations.

The sanctions affected 3,300 organizations and individuals

Among the organizations on the sanctions list are the Internet Development Institute, the Expert Institute for Social Research, Sevastopol State University, and the Sondovon children’s camp in the DPRK.

The British government said that since the beginning of the sanctions campaign, London had imposed restrictions against more than 3,300 organizations and individuals linked to Russia.

The previous package of sanctions Britain introduced in early May. Then the restrictions affected 35 individuals and organizations, including participants in the Alabuga Start program. Before that, in late February, London expanded the sanctions list by almost 300 items – the restrictions affected Russian banks, courts and entities associated with the state corporation Rosatom.